The Little Spanish Dancer Part 12

Often Pedro took his little friend Carmen to visit Rey, who lived in a field outside the city. Today they had come out for the last time before the famous bullfight was to take place.

Both were very sad. Carmen, too, had grown to love Rey, and the big creature seemed fond of her.

Sometimes the girl would practice upon her castanets out in the field.

And always when Rey heard the clicking song of the instruments, he would come up close to the young couple and stand quietly listening.

Do you wonder that this was a sorrowful day in the lives of Carmen and Pedro?

"If only we could think of some way to save him!" sighed Carmen.

She and Pedro sat upon a fence in the field. Around them rose mountains, hazy in the sun. Small stone houses cuddled among old scrub oak trees.

Suddenly Pedro's eyes sparkled. "I have it!" he cried. "I have a plan!

Do you remember the bull whose life was saved during a bullfight, because he came to his owner when he was called?"

Carmen nodded. She remembered well. All Spain had heard of it.

"Then why should not Rey, too, be given this chance?" asked Pedro. "Why should he not be spared if he answers a call?"

"But who will call him?" asked Carmen.

"You," answered Pedro. "You, with your castanets."

"Like this," said Carmen, and she started to play.

Softly she played, then more and more loudly, until the great bull appeared at the other end of the field. He stood looking at the boy and the girl and, all at once, he started toward them, like a big, friendly dog.

"You see!" exclaimed Pedro joyfully. "Now on Sunday, when I am fighting with him in the arena, you, from the audience, will play your castanets as you just did. If he turns and goes to you, I am sure that the judges will spare his life."

"This is a wonderful plan, Pedro," smiled the lovely little Carmen. "And I am certain that it will succeed, because, you see--" She hesitated for a moment. Then she continued, "Because these castanets are enchanted!"

"Enchanted?" Pedro laughed. "That cannot be! Yet when you play them, it is I who am enchanted, my Carmen!"

Carmen did not laugh, however. She looked down soberly at her castanets.

"Legends are told in our family," she said, "about the magic power of these castanets. Whenever one of us has lost or sold or given them away, misfortune has overtaken us."

Whereupon, she recited this verse:

"_Castanets, with magic spell, Never lose or give or sell; If you do, then grief and strife Will follow you through all your life._"

"Then whatever happens, do not lose them before next Sunday," warned Pedro, smiling.

As the young couple arose to go, Carmen gave a start.

"Did you see a figure sneak out from behind that tree and disappear?" she asked Pedro.

"No, I did not," he answered. "And you are full of mystery today, little Carmen!" He was laughing at her again. "Come. Let us go home now before you see a ghost."

But Carmen had been right. There had indeed been a figure behind that tree--someone with very sharp ears, who had listened to all they had said.

He was no mystery--this figure--but a very real person. He was another torero, jealous of Pedro, who had won the love of Carmen--jealous, too, because Pedro had won popularity as a fighter, while he had not.

Carmen thought she recognized this man. Yet she was not altogether sure, and on the way home, Pedro talked her out of her fears.

Happily they started toward Madrid, unaware of the terrible plan which this jealous torero was beginning to lay.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MADRID]

On they drove through a flat land of many vineyards. They pa.s.sed small white houses with tiled hats on, and a village cut out of the landscape by a lazy hand and colored carelessly. Soon they entered Madrid.

Madrid is a modern city of tram cars and toots and traffic. In the summer time, Madrid is like a faded, old d.u.c.h.ess, who clicks her fan and squats in the sun. She is dressed in handsome plazas, fountains, and parks.

But should you chance to walk into a narrow side street, you might catch Madrid in her alley mood. Then she is a simple peasant.

Madrid is the capital, center, and heart of Spain. Pedro, the torero, had lived there all his life. But little Carmen had only recently arrived in the big city.

Upon the Sunday of Pedro's great bullfight, Carmen awoke early. Her heart pounded with excitement. Today she and her magic castanets were to try to save the life of Pedro's beloved Rey.

But suppose Rey would not listen to her? Suppose he would not come to her when she played? The noisy arena would be far different from the quiet fields where she was accustomed to calling him. He would be frightened, furious, and fierce.

Bullfights do not start until four o'clock in the afternoon. Then the sun is getting ready to go to bed, and Spaniards are getting up from their siestas, or naps.

Carmen drove to the bullfight with Pedro's mother.

As they pa.s.sed the Prado (pra'd[=o]), Madrid's beautiful art gallery, Carmen thought, "This Prado is a heaven of art, while the corrida, only a few blocks away, is a hades of suffering!"

She began to worry. And what girl would not have worried? For no matter how brave a torero may be, it is never certain that he will come out of the arena alive. Why, even Rey, his own pet, might today take Pedro's life!

[Ill.u.s.tration: _From a Painting by Goya_ DOnA ISABEL CORBO DE PORCEL]

Trough the many fine streets of Madrid they drove, and at last they reached the bull ring. Crowds were swarming in through the gates of the big, round arena. Carmen and Pedro's mother, silent and sad-faced, made their way to their box.

The old lady wore a tall comb in her hair and a lace mantilla over it.

She opened her fan with a click and started to fan herself. Carmen did the same, as, indeed, everyone else was doing. The sun had been very slow about going to bed.

Over on the opposite side of the arena, the poor people sat in the sun, because those seats were cheaper. There was an air of excitement. The band played the "Toreador's (t[)o]r'[+e]-a-dor') Song" from "Carmen,"

and then the fight began.

There were five toreros and five bulls before Pedro's turn came. Pedro was to be last on the program.

Everything seemed to swim before Carmen's eyes during the performances of these other men and bulls. The whole thing was a sea of fluttering fans, sickly blue light, and waving red cloaks.

Then at last Pedro entered the ring. How big and handsome he looked in his colorful costume! He carried the red cape with which he was going to tease the bull.

But before that time, the bull would first be angered by men with sharp sticks and by other men on horseback.

Look! The gate is swinging open now, and here is Rey! Snorting, rolling his fine eyes, the magnificent creature gallops into the center of the arena and stands, bewildered.